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I was raised by a zen buddhist and a wiccan i know a lil bit about i ching and i hate to quote myself: its kind of wierd but i am posing this to all spiritual blessing discussion group to learn how i can bless my family....thank you thank you thank you for your time

my pastor:imam is teaching me about grimmoires , so i am just learning to meditate ... i am recently married,, long time in a relationship ... this talk of things you keep physically is perfect for a request i had.
.. if you guys wanted to could you guys send me the names and any sites about what is physically respectful for a big family to honor your tradition including things babies and young adult might enjoy like your family does

also do you guys suggest any books about the -=-taoist and all related...- experience for you and those you love novel or factual...about your experience now...
i am recently dealing with leaving an almost cult like well lifestyle that i Did Not want to be in so different religious tradition...its my calm in my family to adorn our new life with all the beautiful things in the world. for my family: the world community: ummah and the things that keep us healthin in Their! life... for us religious anythings

oh and some of the things to keep around the house, the ones that are close to my heart are all things that are traditionally inside the house and for comforting your family, i have adopted foster kids

thank you so much ... and all and anything appreciated... i am in the healthy living groups and family interests and the science and religion...

i feel u add to my life that you as spoiling... i just try to match it... and all details about life in shamanism and the details LOVE LOVE LOVE thank you -nuitprincess

Hi, I am a student of religion. My question is how Taoism understand God? This is what I think, tell me if I am wrong. Taoism has a pantheistic God view. God is the universe. The universe is the body of God. God is not transcendent. Yang and yin is the fundamenta principle Taoism is based on. All live exists and multiplies through the interrelationship of the masculine and feminine principles. This is true from the sub atomic nano level to the macro galactic and universal level. We are unique masculine and feminine parts of the whole cosmos. We achieved self awareness as human beings about 30,000 years ago. We exist to live in harmony with each other and all things. This is he way of Tao in a nutshell as I understand it.

From my book..."The tao of zen" by Ray Grigg....." zen comes from an abbreviation of the Japanese zenna, which comes from the Chinese ch'an.....abb. of ch'anna, which is from the sanskrit dhyana, meaning meditation. " ...

zen is spontaneous and aims to shake up concepts, thus activate the intuitive and experiential of existence. The school of dzogen (i think the spelling is) is solid in the fact that samsara (material world) and nirvana (enlightened awareness) are of the same ONE-ness.

"Taoism is the resolution of the subject-object, active-passive paradox that was invented by self-conscious deliberation. It puts together the wholeness that personal willfulness took apart. In simplest terms this is done by entering the dichotomy and becoming the empty stillness in the center of the paradox. This Taoist strategy then moved through Chinese Ch'an and became the essential strategy of Japanese Zen.

This original Taoism was aka "quietism". The tao is too ordinary / simple to be explained, says one teacher. Impermanence, emptiness (the diamond sutra), self-less-ness, wu wei ..... effortless-ness, and we as the "te" in identity with the "tao" is all to be contemplated / felt, but not at all easily put into words...... Art yes.

Something we are destined to try for and in the Sufi's tradition the longing is as important as the finding. I write mostly on C2C debate as more activity draws me in. I'm not that quiet, but do live in nature and that helps, and gives me inspiration, and the desire to be a bridge between 2 worlds that need integration.

Well, I've dabbled in Taoism for a few years, but I want to get more into it. I don't know if a new thread should be started or whatever.I have the Benjamin Hoff books, the Tao Te Ching, and a book by Eva Wong, called "Tales of the Taoist Immortals". Any others I should get?

Kind'a quiet on this board so welcome!! I could use the company. I mostly write on Christianity debate....though not the debater here or there. I am mainly an osho lover. He's said so many good things on Lao Tsu and Tao. Osho.com is fun. Also Dr. Wayne Dwyer spent a year contemplating the Tao Te Ching, and has been on pbs several times. He's also on you tube. The Tasoism board at B-net has some more detailed practices that are deeper / esoteric.

I go with osho and Lao Tsu signaling that the ordinary is the way to be, and the "Quietism" aspect as a good method. Osho ..... I was reading on Fragments of Heraclitus, "Hidden Harmony".... He was saying 30 yrs. ago......Lao Tsu in the Tao was teaching 3 things mainly......Love, balance / temperance, and nature.

Acceptance of the good as well as the vissisitudes and embracing the Whole is a main theme. We are more likely to feel the proper identity with the Existence by being the drop of water that disolves in the ocean, rather than trying to "be the tea cup that tries in vain to hold the whole ocean."

There's a book called "I'm a Jewish Buddhist". And Mark Epstein, a therapist, is good to read.....though he is more on Buddhism than Tao.

Really absorbed guys were Rumi and Hafiz ....though not Taoist....Sufi.

In High school a Japanese and Chinese classmates and friends sparked my interest s in Japanese and Chinese culture. In the Air Force I had a one year tour in Vietnam and one in Japan. Along the way from High School to Discharge from the USAF, I read about Buddhism, Taoism, Shinto, etc. I read the Tao te Ching , and other eastern writings. While in Vietnam and Japan I visited some shrines and Temples. In College I had some courses in Chinese and Japanese Humanities. After College I attended Seminary and became a Military Chaplain. I continued to read books of Philosophy, theology and religion. My personal motivation to enter the Chaplaincy was not for religious reasons but to help solders. I continued on my personal spiritual journey. After leaving the Army, I left the denomination I was with and for a while was part of a Unity congregation and then to Unitarianism. For the past few years I have studied and followed the Tao. I still see some wisdom in the Teachings Jesus but no longer see him as a messiah or as “The Christ” . The Tao is difficult for some because it is an unknown knowing, a frail strength, a strong frailty, an existing non existence . The Tao is a journey for the present, following the tao.

“I seldom make the mistake of arguing with people for whose opinions I have no respect.” Edward Gibbon